Device for cleaning fibrous materials

ABSTRACT

A horizontal chamber tangentially supplied with material to be cleaned communicating with a waste separating chamber under which a vessel is installed to collect waste impurities, between the waste-separating chamber and the vessel are bars which are grouped in sections and located between the sections are plates having a cylindrical surface the bars and the plates are arranged to form a bar grate to separate waste impurities a slot-shaped opening is provided between the downstream-most plate and the shell of the waste separating chamber for partial return of fibrous material from the vessel to said chamber, separated material is withdrawn axially from the separating chamber through an axial chamber which includes an adjustable end sleeve communicating with the separating chamber for affording efficient cleaning of lint and minimizing use of floor space.

United States Patent Arifov et al.

[ DEVICE FOR CLEANING FIBROUS MATERIALS Petrovich Egorov, ulitsa 7 topolie, 4;

Jury Danilovich Gomelsky, Massiv Cherdantseva, 2, dom, 23, kv. 4; Abuzar Gabdurakhmanovich Shaidullin, kvartal 6, dom 26,

kv. 13, all of Tashkent, U.S.S.R.

Filed: Oct. 11, 1973 Appl. No.: 405,437

Related US. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 275,961, July 28, 1973, abandoned.

US. Cl. 19/205; 209/263; 19/202 Int. Cl U01!) U00 Field of Search 19/200, 202-205,

[ May 6, 1975 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,995,266 3/1935 Moss 19/95 X 2,313,256 3 1943 Morgan 19/205 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 572,566 2/1924 France 19 205 12,947 1914 United Kingdom 19/80 R Primary Examiner-Dorsey Newton Attorney, Agent, or FirmHolman & Stern [5 7 ABSTRACT A horizontal chamber tangentially supplied with material to be cleaned communicating with a waste separating chamber under which a vessel is installed to collect waste impurities, between the wasteseparating chamber and the vessel are bars which are grouped in sections and located between the sections are plates having a cylindrical surface the bars and the plates are arranged to form a bar grate to separate waste impurities a slot-shaped opening is provided between the downstream-most plate and the shell of the waste separating chamber for partial return of fibrous material from the vessel to said chamber, separated material is withdrawn axially from the separating chamber through an axial chamber which includes an adjustable end sleeve communicating with the separating chamber for affording efficient cleaning of lint and 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures DEVICE FOR CLEANING FIBROUS MATERIALS This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 275,961, filed July 28, 1973, now abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to separating apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for cleaning fibrous materials; the improved apparatus being particularly effective for cleaning cotton lint and fibre from waste impurities.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Well known in the art are devices for cleaning cotton lint and fibre, some comprising drums with saws or cards, under which drums there is mounted a bar grid or a screen pan. Fibrous masses are fed to such devices in the form of a carpet which had been collected in separating devices of the cyclone or condenser type, and cleaning of this mass was effected by the action of the drum cards or saws exerted on the mass and simultaneous beating of this mass through the grid bars.

Some waste impurities of fibrous masses are generally actively inter-twincd with fibres, one wishes to their separation is difficult and, consequently, difficult.

Screen surfaces are generally capable of trapping only large-size waste with considerable loss of the fibrous mass which one wishes to salvage. Apart from that, rotating mechanical members (saws, cards), when interacting with fibrous mass, can inflict considerable more damage to the mass.

Also known in the art are devices for cleaning fibrous materials, comprising a vertical centrifugal-type pneumatic separator, wherein separation of fibrous material is effected in a rotating air flow due to the centrifugal force of inertia and aerodynamic force, and during this process waste is extracted through a circular clearance which is formed by cooperation of a tapered deflector and a tapered duct. These devices generally yield low cleaning efficiency since they are devoid of a beating operation which improves cleaning efficiency, and additional production area and air ducts are required when they are installed vertically.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device that would ensure high efficiency of cleaning fibrous materials from waste impurities in a single production process by connecting it directly to the delinter, instead of a throat connecting the delinter to a lint duct, for which purpose no additional floor area of air ducts are required.

It is another object of the present invention to retain the natural properties of the initial material to be cleaned and to minimize its losses in waste.

These and other objects are achieved due to the provision of a device for cleaning fibrous materials, wherein according to the present invention, bars are grouped in sections and fixed with one end in the waste separating chamber, between the bars are plates having a cylindrical surface, and the bars and plates form a bar grate comprising the lower portion of a waste separating chamber functioning to separate waste impurities. The bar grate improves cleaning efficiency, because in addition to cleaning in an air flow, beating of the material against the bars, and acceleration of the material along the cylindrical surfaces of the plates is followed repeated by beating of the material against the bars.

To reduce losses of fibrous material to be recovered, it is expedient to provide a slot-shaped opening between the downstream-most plate of the bar grate and the shell or housing of the waste separating chamber, said opening being arranged along the generant or inner circumferences of the waste separating chamber; communicating with a collecting compartment and adapted for partial return of the material from the collecting to the waste separating chamber.

To prevent formation of an air vortex in the collecting compartment there are provided depending partitions located downstream of each section of the bars and adjacent to the plates of the bar grate.

For straightening i.e., drawing, the rotating air from the separating chamber of an inner cylindrical chamber there is a provided volute-shaped chamber at the downstream outlet of said inner cylindrical chamber; the cylindrical chamber communicates with the separating chamer.

To increase cleaning efficiency, the plates of the bar grate are installed in such a manner so that a circular clearance be is formed between the plates and the end wall of the waste separating chamber whereby particles larger in size than the clearance between the bars are separated.

To adjust the size of the circular clearance, the plates are installed so that it is possible to adjust the plates along the generant of the waste separating chamber.

To provide convenient control and observation of the 7 process in the apparatus the end wall of the waste separating chamber is made of a transparent material.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood a specific embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an end elevation of apparatus for lint cleaning, according to the invention connected to a delinter, i.e., a cottonseed delinting machine;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken generally on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing the principal layout of the device; and

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line IIIIII of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The lint cleaning apparatus incorporates a horizontal outer cylindrical chamber 1 (FIG. 1) with a connection duct 2 which communicates tangentially and intermediately of the latter chamber 1 to establish a rotating air flow therein; see FIG. 2. By means of the duct 2, the apparatus, according to the invention, is connected to a conventional delinter 3 which discharges lint into duct 2.

Located at one end of the chamber 1 is a cylindrical waste separating chamber 4 (FIG. 2) whose lower floor portion communicates with a vessel or collection compartment 5 for collecting waste impurities and portions of lint. Installed inside the chamber 1 and extending axially thereof is another, cylindrical chamber comprising a tube 6 serving to extract cleaned lint. One end of the tube 6 telescopically carries a headpiece tube 7 spaced from an end face 8 of the chamber 4 at a certain adjusted distance since the headpiece 7 suitable means are provided for axial displacement of tube 7 along the tube 6. This adjustment makes it possible to control the degree of lint cleaning. The opposite or downstream end of the tube 6 carries a volute-shaped chamber 9 through which is drawn cleanred lint from separating chamber 4; chamber 9 is connected via an adapter to a lint delivery duct. The inner tube 6 is attached on the left by welding to the annular wall 17 of the chamber 1, and on the right, to the chamber 1 with the help of three needles 18. The right-hand end of the tube 6 carries a telescopic headpiece 7 spaced from the end face 8 of the chamber 4 and adapted to move along the tube 6 to alter the distance from the end of the headpiece 7 and the end face 8 of the chamber 4. Changes in this distance cause changes in the tangential V, and radial V, components of the air flow velocity, which influence the degree of lint cleaning.

To ensure more convenient control by an operator and promote better observation of the operating process, the end wall 8 of the chamber 4 is made of a transparent material.

Located between the chamber 4 (FIG. 3) and the vessel or collecting compartment 5 are bars 11 grouped into sections and fixed with one end in the chamber 4. Installed between the bar sections are plates 12 having an inner cylindrical surface. The bars 11 and plates 12 are adapted to form a bar grate constituting the lower floor portion of the chamber 4 and function to separate waste impurities and discharging them into the vessel 5. Provided between the extreme downstream-most plate 12 and the shell of the chamber 4 is a slot-shaped opening 13 arranged along the generant of the chamber 4 and functions to permit partial return of lint from the vessel 5 to the chamber 4 as air circulates as shown by the direction arrows on FIG. 2 to increase the yield of commercial lint.

The plates 12 are so arranged that between said plates and the end wall 8 of the waste separating chamber 4 a an arcuate end clearance 14 (FIG. 2) functioning to extract waste particles from the chamber 4 which are larger in size than the clearance defined between the bars 1 1. The size of this clearance 14 can be varied by shifting the plates 12 axially along the generant of the chamber 4 in any suitable manner.

To prevent vorticity in the vessel 5 (FIG. 3), the compartment incorporates depending partitions 15 arranged behind each series of the bars and adjacent to the plates 12. Holes 16 are provided in the vessel to communicate with the atmosphere.

OPERATION OF THE DEVICE Lint removed from saw teeth of the delinter 3 is conducted via the connecting duct 2 into the chamber 1, where due to the tangential position of duct 2 it is imparted spiral motion and carried towards the end wall 8 of the waste separating chamber 4. Here, lint is concentrated in the form of a loose rotating carpet. In the course of rotation, lint is repeatedly subjected to beating against the bars 1 1, and due to the effect of centrifugal force, waste impurities, being heavier in weight, pass through the clearance between the bars, while larger-size waste impurities dropping out through the clearance 14 and waste enters the vessel 5 used for collection thereof. When passing between the bars, lint is somewhat retarded in motion, but on the smooth cylindrically curved plates 12 its motion accelerates. Progressive motion along the axis towards the end wall 8 of the chamber 4 contributes to self-cleaning of the bars 11 from separate impacted large waste particles which are carried towards the clearance 14 and drop into the collecting vessel 5. Intake of air via holes 16 prevents lint from dropping out together with waste. Lint particle which do drop through between the bars 1 1 is partly returned back to the chamber 4 via the slotshaped opening 13 as the air rotates. Cleaned lint is carried by the air flow deflected from the end face 6 via the tube 6 and the volute-shaped chamber 9, wherein rotating motion is transformed into progressive one lint, enters the lint discharging duct 19 (FIG. 1) which is connected to a device for collecting cleaned lint, of any design suitable for achieving the objective set, such as a cyclone or a condenser. Duration and efficiency of cleaning are controlled by varying the distance between the end wall 8 of the waste separating chamber 4 and the end of the headpiece 7. The amount of fibrous waste is controlled by varying the amount of air inflow through the holes 16 and the amount of the clearance 14.

What we claim is:

l. A device for cleaning fibrous materials, comprising a horizontal cylindrical chamber with an air duct connected tangentially to said chamber for establishing a rotating air flow inside said chamber: a horizontal cylindrical waste separating chamber connected to said first cylindrical chamber; said separating chamber including in a lower portion bars grouped in sections and affixed with one end projecting into said waste separating chamber; plates with cylindrical surface disposed between said sections of bars; said bars and plates forming a bar grate constituting the lower portion of the waste separating chamber against which circulating material is beaten for extracting waste impurities; a compartment for collecting waste impurities and portions of partly fibrous material, said compartment being disposed beneath and communicating with said waste separating chamber; a second cylindrical chamber for receiving material passing over the bars for removing cleaned fibrous material, said second chamber extending axially inside said first cylindrical chamber and provided with a sleeve at one end thereof; the distal end of said sleeve being spaced from an end wall of said cylindrical waste separating chamber; said sleeve including means for providing axial displacement relative to the end wall for varying said distance to control the amount of material withdrawn and the degree of cleaning.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bar grate includes a slot-shaped opening circumferentially spaced from the downstream-most plate of the bar grate and communicating with the compartment for collecting impurities, said opening being disposed along the generant of said waste separating chamber communicative with the collecting vessel for returning portions of the fibrous material from said compartment to the air circulating in said waste separating chamber.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collecting compartment includes depending partitions downstream of each section of the bars adjacent to the plates of the bar grate for preventing vorticity within the collecting compartment.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second cylindrical chamber includes a volute-shaped chamber 6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plates of the bar grate are adjustable along the generant of the waste separating chamber to vary the size of the circular clearance.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the end wall of the cylindrical waste separating chamber is a transparent material. 

1. A device for cleaning fibrous materials, comprising a horizontal cylindrical chamber with an air duct connected tangentially to said chamber for establishing a rotating air flow inside said chamber: a horizontal cylindrical waste separating chamber connected to said first cylindrical chamber; said separating chamber including in a lower portion bars grouped in sections and affixed with one end projecting into said waste separating chamber; plates with cylindrical surface disposed between said sections of bars; said bars and plates forming a bar grate constituting the lower portion of the waste separating chamber against which circulating material is beaten for extracting waste impurities; a compartment for collecting waste impurities and portions of partly fibrous material, said compartment being disposed beneath and communicating with said waste separating chamber; a second cylindrical chamber for receiving material passing over the bars for removing cleaned fibrous material, said second chamber extending axially inside said first cylindrical chamber and provided with a sleeve at one end thereof; the distal end of said sleeve being spaced from an end wall of said cylindrical waste separating chamber; said sleeve including means for providing axial displacement relative to the end wall for varying said distance to control the amount of material withdrawn and the degree of cleaning.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bar grate includes a slot-shaped opening circumferentially spaced from the downstream-most plate of the bar grate and communicating with the compartment for collecting impurities, said opening being disposed along the generant of said waste separating chamber communicative with the collecting vessel for returning portions of the fibrous material from said compartment to the air circulating in said waste separating chamber.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collecting compartment includes depending partitions downstream of each section of the bars adjacent to the plates of the bar grate for preventing vorticity within the collecting compartment.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second cylindrical chamber includes a volute-shaped chamber at its downstream end for drawing fibrous material from the rotating air flow in the separating chamber.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plates of the bar grate are terminally spaced from the end wall of the waste separating chamber and form a space therewith for extracting from said waste separating chamber particles which are larger in size than the clearance between the bars.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plates of the bar grate are adjustable along the generant of the waste separating chamber to vary the size of the circular clearance.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the end wall of the cylindrical waste separating chamber is a transparent material. 